( xxvii ) 



now being generally considered that the antenna? are olfactory 

 organs, the complication of joints was all the more remarkable. 

 Mr. G. T. Porritt exhibited specimens of Tephrosia con- 

 sonaria, ab. nigra, and melanic examples of Boarmia consorlaria, 

 all from a wood in West Kent, by Mr. E. Goodwin. These 

 forms were exactly on the same lines as the melanism in West 

 Yorkshire, and it is curious they should occur in such widely 

 separate localities. The two genera, however, are evidently 

 prone to melanism, as Mr. Porritt had now seen black or 

 almost black specimens of all the British species except 

 Tephrosia punctulata. 



Commander J. J. Walker exhibited (1) two specimens of 

 the very rare Staphylinid, Medon castaneus, Grav., taken in 

 the Oxford district during the last week of April 1905 ; (2) 

 several examples of both sexes of the giant flea Jlystrichopsylla 

 talpx, Curtis, from field-mouse nests in the same district ; and 

 (3) the type-specimen of the Bostrichid beetle Dinoderus 

 ocellaris, Steph. (taken by the late Prof. Westwood at "Little 

 Chelsea" previous to 1830), from the Hope Collection at 

 Oxford. 



With reference to the last exhibited he also contributed the 

 following note : — 



" Dinoderus ocellaris, Steph. (III. Mandib. III., p. 352, 

 footnote [1830]), f Sp. 2, ocellaris. Nigro-piceus, subnitidus, 

 antennis pedibusque piceis, elytris punctatis, punctis ocellatis 

 in striis digestis. (Long. corp. 1^ lin.) Di? ocellaris mihi. 

 Pitchy-black, slightly glossy ; thorax tuberculate in front, 

 punctate posteriorly ; elytra rather deeply punctate, the 

 punctures disposed in stria?, distinctly ocellated, and largest 

 posteriorly ; antenna? and legs piceous. I have little doubt of 

 this insect being congenerous with the foregoing, but the 

 antenna? are broken. Taken at ' Little Chelsea' in July last. 

 — Mr. Westwood. It is probably exotic, having been found 

 in a cup of coffee." 



"The British species" (of the family Bostrichid^;) "are 

 few in number, of small size, and considerable rarity ; indeed 

 it is not improbable that some of them are not really in- 

 digenous, but have been imported in timber, etc., from abroad, 

 as in the instance of Dinoderus ocellaris, described by Mr. 



